New Styles Have Arrived!

As many of you know I sell jewelry on Etsy. Well, I wanted to share with you the new pieces that I have just listed. There is quite the variety of styles and tastes, and I'm sure you will find something that you love! Be sure to check out my Esty site, as my selection changes often. I have more items I am working on at this very moment, and am hoping to have them up by the end of the week. And don't be afraid to ask me questions! If you see an item that you wanted but it has already sold, convo me on my Etsy site, or email me at linzbphoto@yahoo.com and I might have the supplies to re-create another one just for you!

And remember, most of my items are under $15.00, so you can splurge and not break the bank! Please also keep my site in mind as the holidays roll around! I am still in the process of posting my gift certificates, but hope to have them available within the next week, so keep that in mind as well! Thank you for your continued support for my business and "Compassion First" and I look forward to working with you!

http://glasscocoon.etsy.com

50's Inspired Charm Necklace $13.00

Her first pairs of shoes...

I can't believe I am already 5 months along (over half way there)! Our little baby girl has been growing more and more active every day and is kicking me like crazy. I just can't get over how amazing the feeling is! I went in for my 5 month check up and everything looks great! I got to listen to her heart beat again and it was so fast and strong! At our next appointment we will be talking to our new doctor, my gynecologist, (who is actually a doctor/ not a nurse practitioner like the one we had with Sophia) about the option of a c-section. Due to the many complications I had during my delivery with Sophia, they want to discuss the pro's and con's of doing a c-section rather than having me deliver vaginally again. Honestly, I have been trying to mentally prepare myself either way, and know I will be in good hands this time.
Because at our ultrasound appointment, the technician could not conclusively say the gender of our baby, so I have put off buying any gender specific baby clothes. However, my mom couldn't help herself when she was shopping the other day and got our little girl her very first pairs of shoes/ booties. But now I've been struck with the shopping bug and can't wait to buy her all sorts of new little hats, outfits, and shoes!!!

Aren't they adorable!?

A Day of Fun and Relaxation...

Our Sunday began with Mickey Mouse chocolate chip pancakes (my favorite)! My mom used to make them for me when I was a little girl, and now I enjoy making them for Sophia. She loves them just as much as I do, and the evidence of her enjoyment could be found all over her cheeks and chin, lol.

Loving her pancakes!

After a late breakfast, we relaxed together as a family and played with Sophia. Before it was Sophia's nap time, I asked her if she wanted to try to go potty on the toilet. She ran into the bathroom and grabbed her potty chair. After a few minutes she went potty and was so proud that she was yelling "dad" from the bathroom, because she wanted Jeff (who was in the living room)to come see what she had done. She gets to pick a sticker as her reward when she goes potty in the toilet. She's so hilarious because when I tell her to flush, she waves at the water as it flushes, lol. She is doing really well at potty training and we are so proud of her for wanting to try and for being patient with the whole process.

Proud Smile

After going potty, we put her down for a nap (she slept for 2 1/2 hours), while Jeff and I enjoyed some time together. Once Sophia woke up, we decided to take a trip to Starbucks for Pumpkin Spice Coffees and then stopped by the craft store, where I picked up a few jewelry supplies. Because the weather was so gorgeous, we spontaneously decided to try a new park by our house and let Sophia run off some energy. The new park was really nice and well kept! Sophia had a lot of fun on the slide, the swings and we also went for a walk around the park on the cement pathway. Unfortunately, my camera battery went dead at the park after only a few pictures, so I don't have any to post from the park. But did get some of Jeff and Sophia together once we got home and I got a new battery.

Sophia and Daddy home from the park

This melts my heart!

Once we were home, Katie and Kevin came over to give Jeff his birthday present and we were happy that they ended up staying for dinner. We had delicious Thai food from a little place close to our house. We watched football while Sophia played. Sophia LOVES Uncle Kevin and while they were doing a puzzle together, I couldn't help but get a picture.

Kevin helping Sophia with her puzzle (So sweet!)

Soon it was bed time for Sophia and Katie and Kevin had to go home, but we had such a wonderful, relaxing day enjoying the gorgeous Fall weather and spending the day together as a family. I love Sundays!

It's a...

I have been so excited for this day to come! We went in to the doctor for our ultrasound appointment, along with our parents and my siblings. After almost an hour of measuring, checking for the brain, heart, and kidneys, the ultrasound technician finally asked if we wanted to know the gender. Let's just say that the "little one" was quite active and kept on moving when he was trying to see if it was a boy or girl. After many attempts and a few photos, he said that he couldn't say for sure, but he thought that we were probably having a girl. I guess this is quite common, where the baby does not cooperate, so they can't tell for sure. To be honest, I was a bit bummed that he couldn't tell the gender for certain, but we are going with "It's a Girl", and couldn't be more happy! We don't have a name picked out yet, but I am sure we will have one very soon. We also found out that I am a week further along than they thought, so at this point I am actually 19 weeks, not 18.

When our families came in, Sophia looked at me with concern when she saw me lying on the hospital bed. We pointed out to her, her new little sister moving around on the screen. Of course she wasn't quite sure what she was looking at, but it was neat to have her there! It will be so fun having two little girls running around. I am so excited to see what she looks like in comparison to Sophia and also to see what her personality is like. The last few days she has been getting more and more active and likes to move and kick the most at night, or right when I'm lying down to go to bed. I absolutely love the feeling and smile every time I feel her. It is the coolest feeling in the world!

Jeff and I feel so blessed to have one healthy, beautiful little girl and another on the way! We are so excited for her to arrive and know two kids will be a handful, but we can't wait to experience the journey all over again!

Her Little Profile
(all of the other ultrasound pics were pretty fuzzy)

Boy or Girl?

This Wednesday we go to the doctor to find out if we are having a boy or girl and we are so excited! From the very beginning I have thought I was having a boy, however, almost everyone else thinks I am having a girl. Either way we are happy, except if we are having a girl, we will need to agree on a girl name eventually. If it is a boy, his name will be Boston Jefferey Boss. We have loved this name since I was pregnant with Sophia! Just like last time, my parents will be coming to the ultrasound, along with my siblings and a special guest this time, big sister Sophia. We are so excited to have her there with us to see her little brother or sister on the computer screen moving around inside my tummy. It is very important to me and Jeff that Sophia be a part of everything as much as she can and to feel included, not like she is being replaced by the new baby. We are so proud of what a big girl she is becoming and know she will be a very proud and helpful big sister. She is continuing to do great with potting training and has even let me know a few times that she needed to go to the bathroom ahead of time and then turned out going on the toilet. She is also doing great with her transition from a crib to a day bead, and slept from 8:30 last night to 8:30 this morning. It is so comforting knowing she is safe and not going to hurt herself trying to climb out of her crib. In addition, it's also easier for me to lay her down, because I don't have to worry about squishing my growing tummy on the side of her crib railing.

We are so anxious to find out if we are having a boy or girl and can't wait to share it with you!

Loon Lake...

Over the holiday weekend, we went camping at Loon Lake (our favorite camping spot), with my family and Jeff's family. It was Sophia's first time being there and we couldn't wait to see how she liked it! One of the main reasons it's our favorite place to camp, is that they have a sand beach, and you can pull your boat or wave runner right up onto the sand and jump in and go out on the water for a ride. They also have a play ground for the kids and walking/biking trails,a roped off swimming area, a huge waterfall, craw-dadding and fishing. To sum it all up they pretty much have something for everybody there, which is why our families had so much fun! It had been about 3 1/2 years since we had been there, and we couldn't wait to go back! We had an absolute blast, and the weather was gorgeous! It was in the 80's the entire week.
We spent most of the time hanging out on the beach soaking up the sun and swimming in the lake. Jeff took our waverunner out a few times on the lake, and also took my brothers and sister for a ride on it. Unfortunately I couldn't ride it this year because of being preganant, but there's always next year! However, I was able to ride in my in-laws boat and took Sophia on her first boat ride! I have to admitt, I was a bit nervous. Even though she had a life jacket on, I held on to her for dear life and finally relaxed as we pulled into shore. Sophia of course, was completely relaxed and ended up falling alseep in my arms, lol. We also got to watch my brothers get up on a knee board (with Jeff's help), and go knee borading around the lake. That was really fun to watch and Sophia loved watching them and clapping for them when they got up.
Another nice thing about Loon Lake, is that the water is fairly warm. We spent alot of the time in the water cooling off because it was so hot there. Sophia was a regular fish and did so good around the water. She never went went deeper than her knees, until the last day, when she started to get brave. Other than that, she stayed on the beach where the waves hit the shore and played with her bucket and shovel. Lets just say she had sand in every possible nook and cranny and was quite the sand monster, lol.
Before we ha dgone camping, I was a little nervous about taking Sophia at her age because of sleeping arrangments, the open campsites where she could roam free, and the water. But she proved me wrong! Sophia and I slept in my parents camping trailer, and she did wonderful and would sleep until 8 or 9 every morning. She also listened really good about staying around the campsite and not running out into the street. And she was the best around the water. I was nervous she would run right in and I would have to monitor her the entire time, worrying she was going to go head under. But she was fairly cautious and played while we sat on the beach and relaxed.
It was so fun having both our families there together and spending a week with them. It was the first time my parents had been there and they thought it was so beautiful and relaxing! We are hoping to go back again next year, only this time we will have a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old. Should be interesting, lol. Camping has been an important family past time for both me and Jeff's families and it is something we want our kids to experience and to pass on to them.

Sweet Little Sophia

Tried to steal everyone's flip-flops the entire time :)

Having fun playing in the water

My sis Cassidy and Sophia splashing eachother

Jeff swinging Sophia around in the water

Taking a dip with my girl

Sophia and Jeff on their way back up to the campsite

Sophia kissing her little brother or sister

Family Picture:Me & baby#2, Sophia, & Jeff